DEPT:. Chemistry
YEAR OF GRAD STUDY: 2010 - 2015

MENTOR(S): Dr. David F. Wiemer
SOURCE(S) OF SUPPORT:  NIH Predoctoral Fellowship in Biotechnology from CBB and Iowa AGEP/Dean’s Graduate Fellowship                

EDUCATION:
University of Iowa  Ph.D.  2015 Chemistry   
Southeastern Louisiana University B.S. 2010 Chemistry                                                                                                        

HONORS:
NIH Predoctoral Fellowship from CBB, Iowa AGEP/Dean’s Graduate Fellowship, magna cum laude (Southeastern LA Univ),
Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry, CRC Press Chemistry Achievement Award, SELU Chem Dept Service Award 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Organic Chemistry I Discussion TA at University of Iowa (Spring 2011)        

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (prior to entering program):
I worked in Dr. Debra Dolliver’s organic chemistry lab at Southeastern Louisiana University, where I synthesized N-alkoximidoyl iodides, as well as oxime ether imidazoyl sulfonates for Suzuki cross-coupling reactions with potassium trifluoroborate salts.

CURRENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES (brief description):
While at U of Iowa for graduate school) I synthesized families of triazolebis phosphonates as potential inhibitors of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase.

COURSES TAKEN (this graduate program):
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry, Advanced Analytical Chemistry, Advanced Organic Chemistry, Spectroscopic Methods in Organic Chemistry, Advanced Organic Synthesis, Introduction to Biocatalysis, Mechanisms of Organic Reactions, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, and Organic Chemistry Seminar

POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING APPLIED FOR:
UT Southwestern    Dr. John B. MacMillan Biochemistry  June 2015  June 2015 (9-1-2015 start) 

APPLICATION(S) FOR POSTDOCTORAL FUNDING:

PUBLICATIONS: 
Zhou, X.; Ferree, S. D.; Wills, V. S.; Born, E. J.; Tong, H.; Wiemer, D. F.; Holstein, S. A. Geranyl and neryl triazole bisphosphonates as inhibitors of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2014, 22, 2791-2798.
Dolliver, D. D.; Bhattarai, B. T.; Pandey, A.; Lanier, M. L.; Bordelon, A. S.; Adhikari, S.; Dinser, J. A.; Flowers, P. F.; Wills, V. S.; Schneider, C. L.; Shaughnessy, K. H.; Moore, J. N.; Raders, S. M.; Snowden, T. S.; McKim, A. S.; Fronczek, F. Stereospecific Suzuki, Sonogashira, and Negishi coupling reactions of N–alkoximidoyl iodides and bromides. J. Org. Chem. 2013, 78, 3676–3687.